New Delhi: The three criminal laws – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshaya Sanhita which replace the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act respectively, will come into effect from July 1, 2024. This was notified by the Government of India on Saturday.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 aims to address hit-and-run cases with more stringent penalties. For the first time in the country, this law introduces a provision that could result in a 10-year prison sentence for people engaging in reckless driving, fleeing the accident scene, and failing to promptly report the incident to law enforcement.
This new law is intended to replace the outdated Indian Penal Code (IPC) from the British colonial era.
Section 104 (2) of the law stipulates that anyone causing the death of another person through reckless or negligent actions that do not amount to culpable homicide, and subsequently fleeing the scene or neglecting to report the occurrence to a police officer or magistrate, could face imprisonment for a duration of up to ten years, alongside potential fines.
Presently, instances of hit-and-run are categorized under sections 279 (related to reckless driving), 304A (pertaining to causing death by negligence), and 338 (addressing endangerment of life or personal safety of others) within the IPC. In exceptional circumstances, charges of murder (Section 302) can be applied.
Ms Kalinga